Srimad Bhagavata Mahatmyam 01 - The arrival of Srimad Bhagavatam and its Greatness
Bhagavata is the king of all Puranas that removes ignorance, confers the highest spiritual knowledge, devotion in Lord, and vairagya, or dispassion towards all worldly attractions which has the potential to create illusions entangling to the cycle of death and birth. It brings happiness. Srimad Bhagavata Mahatmyam is not comparable with nectar which appeared during Kshirasamudramathana or the churning of the Milky Way.
Also, my scaled salutations to all Gods who are always brimming with devotion and are never exhausted at the service of the Lord that includes Hanuman, Sarasvati, Garuda, Sesha, Rudra, Narada, Dhruva, Prahalada.
My utmost salutations to Srimad Acharya and all the Gurus of the lineage through whom the nectar called Srimad Bhagavata Mahatmyam has been flowing.
I seek the shelter of Guru Raghavendra at all times.
The Srimad Bhagavata Mahatmyam or the glory and the greatness has been praised in almost all Puranas like Garuda, Brahma, Brahmanda, Markandaya, Vayu, Agni, Skanda, Padma. The glory and greatness as in Padma Purana are presented here:
सच्चिदानन्दरूपाय विश्वोत्पत्यादिहेतवे ।
तापत्रयविनाशाय श्रीकृष्णाय वयं नुमः ॥ १॥
Lord Sri Krishna! Your form is of true consciousness, full of knowledge and bliss. Hence, you are popular as Satchitananda. You create, sustain, destroy, regulate all non-living including liberates all living beings in the whole universe. You remove all the three types of sufferings of your dear devotee including, a) Adhyatmika, the suffering caused in the physical body due to diseases; b) Adhibhautika, the suffering caused externally due to natural calamities like earthquakes, floods, or seasons, etc. and c) Adhidaivika, the suffering caused by one’s own actions resulting in Karmic sins.
My salutations to you.
यं प्रव्रजन्तमनुपेतमपेतकृत्यं द्वैपायनो विरहकातर आजुहाव ।
पुत्रेति तन्मयतया तरवोऽभिनेदुस्तं सर्वभूतहृदयं मुनिमानतोऽस्मि॥
As if feeling loss and loneliness, Lord Veda Vyasa calls Shuka, “My Son”. But Sri Shukacharya who has the attribute of Vairagya or dispassion, even to his body, walked ahead to become Sanyasi without any reply. Being no different from God Rudra who is obliged to The Lord for being responsible to influence the minds of all living beings, answered filled with devotion to The Lord by swaying of trees.
My Salutations to the Vairagya Shiromani, the crown jewel of dispassion, Sri Shukacharya.
नैमिषे सूतमासीनमभिवाद्य महामतिम् महामतिम् ।
कथामृतरसास्वादकुशलः शौनकोऽब्रवीत् ॥३॥
Sri Sutacharya was well versed in narrating long stories of the Lord that were like luscious nectar. He was extremely talented in extracting the essence of the nectar. A long time back, he visited a sacred place named Naimisharanya where wise sages lived. They arranged a gathering to welcome Sri Sutacharya and honor him. On behalf of all wise sages, Sri Shaunaka Rishi offered him respect, honor, and expressed gratitude for having arrived there.
Sri Shaunaka Rishi asked:
शौनक उवाच
अज्ञानध्वान्तविध्वंसकोटिसूर्यसमप्रभ ।
सूताख्याहि कथासारं मम कर्णरसायनम् ॥४॥
Sri Sutacharya! You have arrived here with a brightness of crores of suns raised at a time to dispel the ignorance which is like the darkness of nights. Please narrate the long stories of the Lord. The cream of which is divine nectar, pleasant to our ears, and can bring happiness.
भक्तिज्ञानविरागाप्तो विवेको वर्धते महान् ।
मायामोहनिरासश्च वैष्णवैः क्रियते कथम् ॥५॥
With knowledge of the Lord and devotion in him, how would one be able to develop an ability to distinguish that confine to the worldly attractions through the creation of illusions and that which liberates one through dispassion to all the worldly attractions?
इह घोरे कलौ प्रायो जीवश्चासुरतां गतः ।
क्लेशाक्रान्तस्य तस्यैव शोधने किं परायणम् ॥ ६॥
Probably, all beings in the dark age of Kali Yuga develop bad habits. What are the options and the best strategy fostering liberation for those sinners afflicted with ignorance to cleanse themselves and develop divine power?
श्रेयसां यद्भवेच्छ्रेयः पावनानां च पावनम् ।
कृष्णप्राप्तिकरं शश्वत्साधनं तद्वदाधुना ॥ ७॥
What would be the best practices that one can trust and be certain to benefit, purify, and accomplish the stainless Lord Sri Krishna?
Sri Shaunaka and the other rishis of Naimisharanya were deeply concerned about common people being attacked by the deadly Lord of evil, Kali. He had observed that Kali with his followers was deep-rooted and had become entrenched in all facets of society. Many were trapped in his influence losing the track of Vaishnava dharma. They hardly took to sadhana or practice to accomplish liberation. They were eager to earn money and actively engaged in other trivial day-to-day activities. Stepping on the evil path, many earned money by hook or crook. This and other activities were entangling them in the cycle of death and birth.
Sri Shaunaka Rishi continued to praise Sri Sutacharya says,
चिन्तामणिर्लोकसुखं सुरद्रुः स्वर्गसम्पदम् ।
प्रयच्छति गुरुः प्रीतो वैकुण्ठं योगिदुर्लभम् ॥८॥
Guru Sutacharya! The wish-fulfilling gem called Chintamani could give all worldly happiness and even heaven. However, if Guru is pleased, he could bestow the highest world of Vaikunta, the abode of Lord which cannot be accomplished even by great Yogis.
Seeing a lot of difficulties in an individual’s life in Kali Yuga, the compassionate Shaunaka Rishi had sought remedies. Doing which could bring benefit to common beings and please the Lord.
Answering, Sri Sutacharya says:
सूत उवाच
प्रीतिः शौनक चित्ते ते ह्यतो वच्मि विचार्य च ।
सर्वसिद्धान्तनिष्पन्नं संसारभयनाशनम् ॥ ९॥
भक्त्योघवर्धनं यच्च कृष्णसन्तोषहेतुकम् ।
तदहं तेऽभिधास्यामि सावधानतया शृणु ॥ १०॥
Sri Shaunaka! I am pleased with your stainless attitude. You have your heart filled with devotion towards the Lord. I will tell you all that I have learned from my Guru, Lord Sri Veda Vyasa. I have studied all philosophies, evaluated them, and encapsulated the essence. I will tell you the quintessence. Also, the precise strategy that can destroy the fear of death and birth blossoming devotion in an individual’s heart to please the Lord.
Hence, hear me very carefully.
कालव्यालमुखग्रासत्रासनिर्णाशहेतवे ।
श्रीमद्भागवतं शास्त्रं कलौ कीरेण भाषितम् ॥११॥
एतस्मादपरं किञ्चिन्मनःशुद्ध्यै न विद्यते ।
जन्मान्तरे भवेत्पुण्यं तदा भागवतं लभेत् ॥१२॥
The snake called time is continuously gulping every individual’s lifespan. The only way to cut its head and be liberated from the entanglement of rebirth is to study and practice the proponents of Srimad Bhagavatha as told by Shuka muni. This is possible only to those who have been cleansing their sins, purifying themselves, becoming virtuous, and doing good deeds over several births. In short, the complete benefit of serving Srimad Bhagavata is available to those who have been propitiating Lord over several births.
A long-time back, Parikshit Raja was the King of Hastinapur after succeeding his Grandfather Yudhishthira. Due to the wrath of a curse of a brahmin boy, he was to die within seven days. Filled with remorse, he arranged a spiritual gathering on the bank of the holy river Ganga at Haridwar. Sri Shukacharya arrived there. King Parikshit requested him to suggest a remedy for the curse. For which Sri Shukacharya recommended an exposition of the doctrines of Srimad Bhagavatam. This happened at the beginning of Kali Yuga, fifty years after the disappearance of Lord Krishna.
परीक्षिते कथां वक्तुं सभायां संस्थिते शुके ।
सुधाकुम्भं गृहीत्वैव देवास्तत्र समागमन् ॥१३॥
शुकं नत्वावदन् सर्वेनत्वावदन् सर्वेस्वकार्यकुशलाः सुराः ।
कथासुधां प्रयच्छस्व गृहीत्वैव सुधामिमाम् ॥१४॥
एवं विनिमये जाते सुधा राज्ञा प्रपीयताम् ।
प्रपास्यामो वयं सर्वे श्रीमद्भागवतामृतम् ॥१५॥
When Sri Shukacharya was about to start the narration of Srimad Bhagavata at the request of Parikshit, all the Gods from heaven under the kingship of Indra came with the pitcher of holy nectar. They are very efficient in executing their activities and have eloquent speeches. After paying respects to Sri Shukacharya by bowing their heads, they offered him the holy nectar when consumed would give immortality, in exchange they sought the nectar of Srimad Bhagavatha.
The God Indra said, “this way after the exchange, Parikshit can drink the divine nectar and come out of the curse of death becoming immortal. And we could relish the nectar in the form of Srimad Bhagavata from your divine voice.”
क्व सुधा क्व कथा लोके क्व काचः क्व मणिर्महान् ।
ब्रह्मरातो विचार्यैवं तदा देवान् जहास देवान् ह ॥ १६॥
For which, Sri Shukacharya laughed away. He told them that the Holy Nectar and Srimad Bhagavatha are not comparable. Srimad Bhagavatha is like trading off a diamond gem with a piece of glass. Sri Shukacharya rejected the offer.
In fact, Srimad Bhagavatha is exceptional and uncommon to even Gods.
अभक्तांस्तांश्च विज्ञाय न ददौ स कथामृतम् ।
श्रीमद्भागवती वार्ता सुराणामपि दुर्लभा ॥ १७॥
Sri Shukacharya thought that the Gods have less devotion towards the Lord, not eligible for hearing the divine stories in Srimad Bhagavata, and denied them. Hence, Srimad Bhagavata is not easily available to even Gods.
राज्ञो मोक्षं तथा वीक्ष्य पुरा धातापि विस्मितः ।
सत्यलोके तुलां बद्ध्वातोलयत्साधनान्यजः ॥ १८॥
Parikshit Raja, after hearing Srimad Bhagavata for seven days, went to Vaikunta. Though Thkshaka, in the form of a fly bit Parikshit raja to make the words of Brahmin boy come true, he was not afraid nor did he die due to its bite. The king left the body through yoga, reached Vaikunta, and to the feet of the Lord getting liberated from the cycle of death & birth. This even surprised God Brahma.
लघून्यन्यानि जातानि गौरवेण इदं महत् ।
तदा ऋषिगणाः सर्वे विस्मयं परमं ययुः ॥ १९॥
मेनिरे भगवद्रूपं शास्त्रं भागवतं कलौ ।
पठनाच्छ्रवणात्सद्यो वैकुण्ठफलदायकम् ॥२०॥
Hence, the curious God Brahma weighed all the Puranas by placing Bhagavatha on one side and rest on the other side and found that Bhagavatha was equal to all other Puranas. The only ones which he found heavier than Bhagavatha are Vedas, Mahabharata, Gita, Vishnu Sahasaranama, and Brahma sutras. This surprised all rishis including Devaguru Brihaspati. Therefore, the rishis concluded that Srimad Bhagavata is the form of Lord, reading or hearing it will immediately bring benefits including liberation from the cycle of death and birth.
सप्ताहेन श्रुतं चैतत्सर्वथा मुक्तिदायकम् ।
सनकाद्यैः पुरा प्रोक्तं नारदाय दयापरैः ॥ २१॥
By hearing Srimad Bhagavata in a procedure as prescribed for Sapthaha by Kumaras to Narada Rishi, benefits including knowledge of Lord, devotion towards him, and dispassion towards worldly matters will grow and mature.
Sri Shukacharya had narrated Srimad Bhagavata for seven days to Parikshit Raja in the lunar month of Bhadrapada. Hence even to date, mumukshu for one who seeks moksha arranges the discourse of Bhagavatam for seven days and is popularly called Sapthaha or prostopadi Sapthaha.
यद्यपि ब्रह्मसम्बन्धाच्छ्रुतमेतत्सुरर्षिणा ।
सप्ताहश्रवणविधिः कुमारैस्तस्य भाषितः ॥ २२॥
It is believed that the Sapthaha procedure was laid out by God Brahma, established by Sri Shukacharya, and popularised by Narada Rishi. In fact, Narada Rishi received the summarised Bhagavatha in four verses from God Brahma himself. He submitted it to Lord Veda Vyasa by reciting to him and requested for a detailed elaboration for easy comprehension of the ordinary.
In one of his forms, God Rudra took birth as the son of Lord Veda Vyas with the name Shuka. Shuka was initiated into Srimad Bhagavata By Lord Veda Vyasa in elaborated and current form. Sri Shukacharya subsequently initiated Parikshit Raja during which Sri Sutacharya was also present. Later, Sri Sutacharya narrated to Shaunakadi rishis in Naimisharanya. From Shaunakadi rishis, it has been passed from generation to generation to date. This is how Srimad Bhagavatham arrived from the upper world.
The other way through which Srimad Bhagavatha arrived is from the lower world. God Brahma initiated God Sesha. Subsequently, God Sesha initiated Sanatkumara, who in turn initiated Sankhayana. Later, Sankhayana initiated Parashara, and Parashara subsequently initiated Maitreya, and from Maitreya to Vidura.
Hari Om
Sri Krishnarpanamastu
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